Pte T Parry 24th and Pte S Parry 24th Foot - Zulu War medal

The details of these stolen medals will be known by all auction houses and dealers so the thief will never be able to dispose of them for anythin approaching their true financial value.
He will never be able to pass them on to other family members either, as inevitably, their identity and the fact they were stolen will be discovered, revealing the identity of the thief.
Let's hope that after a short while, the novelty of having them in his very private collection wears off and he does the right thing and returns these very important historical artefacts.
If only he could see the irony in that the men who earned these medals are men deserving of the highest levels of respect, yet he is just a thief deserving of nothing other than a jail sentence.
Let's hope this scumball sees some sense and does the right thing, before the knock on the door.

Totally agree, let's hope he try's to sell them, and the buyer calls the police.

Ulundi wrote:

Totally agree, let's hope he try's to sell them, and the buyer calls the police.

Yes, and this has happened several times before.

ptes Parry , Davis and Power i read are survivors from Isandlhwana but my understanding was NO survivors from the 1/24 regiment infantry . Were these men infantry or what.?????????????

and so say all of us Cobber re the thief

Hi rayhun

I'm not sure about Parry, but at least 6 private's from the 1/24th did survive and their accounts are at the Museum in Breacon.

Hi Rayhun.
Davis , Parry & Power were on the books of the 1 / 24th but were indeed seconded into the 1st Sqdn M.I.
Cheers 90th.

thanks mate --so that puts them out of the infantry and puts them on a horse

Hi Rayhun.
Yep mate , sure does , and none of the three left an account that has been found to this stage .
Cheers 90th.

Hi all/90th

Did any personal account, letter, turn up for Pte T Parry. Can I also ask what his number was?

Hi Eddie
In Hope's book that lists IMI he is shown as
No1 Squadron 1-24th Regiment 611 Parry William. Escaped from iSandlwna.
Medal roll shows 1878-79 clasp

I know Bill and Julian are doing a lot of work on this. Perhaps they can clarify the details as there was also a 25B/572 Private Thomas Parry 1-24th 1877-78-79 clasp
Kate

Hi Kate

Thank you for that, it is Thomas I am referring to, was wondering if any letter or account of his actions ever turned up.

Eddie
There is a lot of speculation about whether Thomas was there or not.
To start with he was D company who were stationed at Helpmakaar.
He claimed to be Pulleine's groom but this is disputed. A letter home from him appeared in the Herefordshire Times 12th April 1879 and talks of his exploits at iSandlwana but they are dubious to say the least.
Another soldier from the Regiment (Private Steven's) exposed Parry as a liar in the Merthyr Express on 19th July 1879.
Kate

Hi Kate

I won't print it at the moment, but I have found a letter where he speaks about what happened at Isandlwana and that he was actually present at the defence of Rorke's Drift, and how he got to be there, because his boss took his horse because the bosses horse had become lame and he had to stay with it.

I cannot find the letters you refer to and can't compare, if this is the same letter. Does anyone have a copy, or has anyone heard of this account before.

Hi once again

I have noticed that the letter I came across did also actually get printed in the Hereford Times.

I don't know what relevance it has but, I did notice Thomas signed off his letter D Company, 7. 24th. What does the 7 refer to?
Does this refer to him being MI attached, hence he looking after horses in the manner he suggests.

Hi Eddie
Private William Parry was IMI
Private Thomas Parry was not.
The story about the horse relates to him claiming to be Pulleine's groom.
I suspect the 7 is a typo and it is meant to be a 1.
Kate

I don't know, maybe your right about the 7, but it's a long way away from 1 when typing.

Thomas Parry wasn't typing.


From ES p. 31.

25B/572 Pte. Thomas Parry D coy 1/24th
The Herefordshire Times, 12th April 1879 (also in The Merthyr Express, same date) published his letter home, 14th February 1879, in which he related sketchily certain events at Isandhlwana and claimed to be Bvt. Lieut.-Col. Pulleine’s groom. Inconsistencies abound. He claimed Pulleine’s horse went lame, that Pulleine took his horse instead and told him to follow slowly with the lame one, that he was delayed on the road, never reached camp, met fugitives from Isandhlwana, and returned to Rorke’s Drift to fight with the garrison. Pulleine joined No. 3 Column on 17th January and proceeded to Isandhlwana. If his horse went lame in Natal there was no reason for him to tell his groom to bring it into Zululand. There is no record that Parry was Pulleine’s groom (D coy was stationed at Helpmekaar and, if there is any truth in Parry’s story, it was more likely that he met fugitives between Helpmekaar and Rorke’s Drift). He is on no roll of Rorke’s Drift defenders and no-one there recorded his presence. In fact, Rorke’s Drift defender Stephens (Stevens), 25B/777 Pte. Thomas, 2/24th, Letter, The Merthyr Express, 19th July 1879 exposed Parry as a liar.

From ES p. 38.

25B/611 Private William PARRY D coy 1/24th Regiment, attached to 1st Squadron I.M.I.
No account. Appeared on the survivors’ list posted at Helpmekaar, 24th January and in official returns.
Escaped via Fugitives’ Drift to Helpmekaar.

I have just re-read Stephens' letter and he is very angry indeed with Thomas Parry and his ilk.  It is not often one comes across such forthright writing from an ordinary private.  The bond between B coy men, forged at RD, must have been very strong indeed.  He makes it absolutely clear that Parry is lying through his teeth.

Hi thank you Julian

I haven't seen that letter, I will have a look for it.

Eddie
I have just sent it to you by e-mail.

Cheers Julian

Any chance I could get a copy of the letter please…

Danny
pm me with your personal e-mail and I'll send it to you.
Julian